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Idaho Football

Game preview: Appalachian State at Idaho

Appalachian State quarterback Taylor Lamb, throwing against Wake Forest last month, has been a thorn in Idaho’s side during his career. (Chuck Burton / AP)
By Peter Harriman For The Spokesman-Review

Kickoff: Saturday, 2 p.m., Kibbie Dome, Moscow

Records: Idaho (2-3, 1-1 Sun Belt Conference), Appalachian State (3-2, 2-0)

Radio: 92.5-FM

Overview: After coming up just short in a 21-16 homecoming loss to Louisiana-Lafayette, Idaho faces a Sun Belt Conference perennial elite. The Vandals play host to defending co-champion Appalachian State. The Mountaineers’ two losses are against fourth-ranked Georgia (31-10) and 20-19 against Wake Forest (4-1).

If the Vandals can pull off an upset, it could go a long way toward restoring their season goals of a bowl game and a conference championship. Idaho is a 12 1/2-point underdog.

Like Idaho, the Mountaineers rely on a fast defense. Their front is not large but uses its mobility to attack from angles. It will face its mirror image in Idaho’s offensive line, also not physically overpowering but athletic and eager to exploit angles created by zone blocking.

“(They) like to get pressure with four guys and play zone back there” in the secondary, Vandals coach Paul Petrino said.

The Vandals may face the most zone defense they have seen all year. Last week in a 45-31 win against New Mexico State, cornerbacks Clifton Duck and Tae Hayes each intercepted three passes to set a school record. Last year, in a 37-19 victory over the Vandals, Duck also got three interceptions against Idaho’s Matt Linehan.

“The cornerbacks do a great job reading the quarterback’s eyes,” Petrino said.

Jacob Sannon, who leads Idaho this year with 33 catches for 340 yards, including a pair of 100-yard plus games, made five receptions against Appalachian State a year ago. He said the Mountaineers’ zone enjoys success in part through its intimidating reputation.

“Teams are defeating themselves, making simple mistakes,” Sannon said.

Two years ago, the Mountaineers’ Jalin Moore rushed for 244 yards against Idaho and followed that up with a 114-yard day last year. After being slowed by injuries in early games this season, he broke out with a 241-yard effort against New Mexico State. Idaho linebacker Ed Hall said Moore is not as interested in getting around the corner of a defense as in taking it on. “He wants to run downhill,” Hall said.

Petrino added that the Mountaineers also like cutback runs and traps. He predicted Appalachian State will especially attempt to trap nose guard Arie Anderson.

The Mountaineers are 3-0 in their series against Idaho, each time led by quarterback Taylor Lamb. Linehan bested Lamb statistically last year, completing 26 of 41 passes for 294 yards, compared to Lamb’s line of 18 of 23 for 220 yards.

Both are coming off subpar games. Against Louisiana-Lafayette, Linehan completed 13 of 28 passes for 149 yards. Lamb was 10 of 21 for 48 yards with two interceptions in the win over New Mexico State.

Like Linehan, Lamb is a four-year starter and a coach’s son. “He knows how to make the play when it has to be made,” Petrino said of Lamb.

This could the key to Idaho getting its first win in this series. “They don’t give up a whole lot of big plays. They make you earn it,” Petrino said. “We have to try to make a couple of big plays.”